Garfield turns 40, and other famous cats who got their start in Indiana

To celebrate the 40th birthday of Garfield on June 14, the roly-poly, lasagna-loving cat created by Indiana-based comic creator Jim Davis, we've rounded up our own favorite Indiana cats. Most of these whiskers should look familiar.

Fried Chicken Cat

Who that cat? In 2015, IndyStar photographer Kelly Wilkinson captured a cat strolling down the sidewalk in the Hillside neighborhood, on the Eastside, with a freshly-swiped piece of fried chicken. Artful theft or animal instinct? The cat quickly went viral as the photo was shared tens of thousands of times among the seemingly endless number of cat fanatics on the Internet.

Where's she now? Wilkinson (who owns the only Fried Chicken Cat T-shirt in existence) snapped the photo on a neighborhood tour, and Fried Chicken Cat was never seen again. If anyone knows (or owns) FCC, we'd love to catch up. Want to own this photo of Fried Chicken cat? Click on the "Buy Photo" button on the photo.

Lil Bub

Who that cat? A tongue is all it took. Bloomington's Mike Bridavsky adopted Lil Bub and posted some loving photos on Tumblr in 2011. A slew of genetic anomalies meant Bub would remain kitten-like forever, and her painfully cute bug-eyes and perpetually-loose tongue thoroughly stormed pop culture — she appeared on "Good Morning America," "The View" and documentary Lil Bub & Friendz. Today she has over 3 million Facebook followers.

Buy Photo

Lil' Bub's human companion, Mike Bridavsky, adopted her in 2001 out of a tool shed in Bloomington.(Photo: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar)

Where's she now? Bub's keeping busy this year. She'll be featured in a Christmas movie later this year, and is working on her own line of pet care products, plus a quarterly subscription box full of Bub swag (check her website for more). As Bridavsky told us, "She's also planning an intergalactic trip to visit her family on her home planet."

Binky

Who that cat? Binky had always been a good cat, but last summer she became a life saver. When a man tried to force his way into his owner Cynthia Kootz's south side home, Binky leapt into action, biting the intruder and not letting go. "He is my hero," Kootz then told the IndyStar. "I would give him any treat he wants."

Buy Photo

Binky, 6, sits in his Finley Ave. home on Friday, June 9, a few days after he attacked a man attempting to break in.(Photo: Jessica Hice/IndyStar)

Where's he now? At last check, Binky was doing just fine at home, living a relaxing domestic life. He's been keeping out of the headlines since his hero-move last year — and we're certain he's happy that way.

Melody, Grayson and Rhodey (KJ OnAir's cats)

Who those cats? If you've spent an afternoon listening to 107.9 The Mix, you've heard DJ K.J. Johll — and chances are, you've heard about her cats. Her love is infectious; you may have never met Grayson, Rhodey and new addition Melody, but you adore 'em through the radio. Johll admits they're no Lil Bub, but, "(Grayson) does have a little following who also get joy from seeing him every day," she told us. "Rhodey thinks every moment of his life is the greatest thing ever." That's an attitude we can get behind.

KJ OnAir's cat Grayson.(Photo: Provided by K.J. Johll)

Where are they now? Happily at home, keeping Johll (and her listeners, of course) entertained. Johll posts a #DailyGrayson photo to her social media accounts, and she's a tireless advocate of (responsible) cat ownership. "When I meet people who say, 'I don't like cats,' I love to ask them, 'Have you ever actually known a cat?'" she says. "Earning the love of a cat is a special experience that I hope you can have someday."

Pirate Cat

Who that cat? Like Blackbeard reincarnated as Garfield, local cream-colored hooligan Pirate Cat gained a following last year by stalking the Monon Trail, pillaging food and causing general mayhem. That fame turned to notoriety when Pirate Cat was picked up by Indiana State Police last fall for antagonizing dogs — but even time in the back of a cop car could never soften this hardened career criminal cat. "He doesn't want to be an indoor cat; he's not going to make it as an indoor cat," owner Amanda Cancilla said at the time.

Pirate cat isn't marooned, and he'll never been a landlubber, no matter what this photo shows.(Photo: Submitted by Pirate Cat's boatswain)

Where's he now? Amid all the negative press, we'll let Pirate Cat speak for himself: "The seas are finally thawing… I have found a human and fur alliance in some local apartments. I (still) commonly pillage ships, jumping into human vehicles and visiting their ports of call — to pillage and plunder for booty, of course."

Fletcher Pickles

Who that cat? Fletcher Pickles never met a human he didn't like — and humans loved him right back. The sleepy cat was a mainstay at the Hotel Tango Artisan Distillery in south Indy's Fletcher Place neighborhood from opening day in 2014, where he would great guests with a purr, a cuddle or maybe even a lick. Fletcher Pickles initially joined the Hotel Tango team as an emotional service animal for owner Travis Barnes; it didn't take long before he was making everyone feel warmer than a straight shot of whiskey.

Where's he now? Tragedy struck in January, when Fletcher fell off the roof of Hotel Tango and succumbed to his injuries. A Facebook statement released by Hotel Tango helped friends and fans cope: "He made us smile every day with his antics and big personality. We want to thank everyone who has ever visited Hotel Tango just to see our little guy."

Garfield

Who that cat? Oh, don't pretend you don't know. No list of Indy's finest felines would be complete without the world's biggest lover of lasagna and hater of Mondays: the grumpy godfather himself, Garfield. Indiana native Jim Davis created Garfield in 1978 — and though the cat is proudly lazy, he hasn't quit for the past 40 years.

Where's he now? All over the world. Garfield's starred in two major movies, a handful of video games, a live musical and, of course, thousands and thousands of comic strips that are read by millions of people every day.

Mickey

Who that cat? Before rare white tiger Mickey found his home at Indiana's Exotic Felines Rescue Center, he was part of a 10-cat traveling show in Oklahoma — and he'd regularly go without food, let alone love. He was rescued and brought to the EFRC in 2009, and things finally, thankfully, turned around for him.

Mickey was brought to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in 2009, and is now the center's most popular tiger.(Photo: Provided by Exotic Feline Rescue Center)

Where's he now? Today, he's the center's most popular tiger, a big, beautiful, cross-eyed cat that's the first feline people see when they tour EFRC's Center Point campus.

Boomer

Who that cat? Since 1991, no one has been responsible for more Indianapolis Pacers wins than Boomer (well, maybe Reggie Miller). As the teams' official mascot, at 6 feet tall, Boomer is just about big enough to take the court. The panther dances, dunks, and gets Pacer fans on their feet — he's even been called upon for a handful of NBA All-Star Games. We could not get comment on his relationship with Blue, but we assume it is friendly.

Buy Photo

Boomer leads exercise warm-up at the Center of Inquiry #70, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. Pacers' Fit Like A Pro, part of the NBA Fit, partnered with Playworks Indiana for recess at the elementary school with the goal of getting kids excited about health and wellness.(Photo: Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar)

Where's he now? Cats are loyal to their owners, and Boomer considers Pacer fans to be his collective master — meaning he's not going anywhere far from Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Catt Sadler

Who that cat? Catt Sadler's Indiana cred runs deep. Born in Martinsville, she appeared in the classic "Hoosiers" when she was 11. She was a Pacers emcee in the early 2000s, and joined the E! News team in 2010, hosting countless red-carpet events for the Golden Globes, Emmys, Academy Awards and more.

Catt Sadler will return to television when she makes a Feb. 14 appearance on "The View."(Photo: Getty Images)

Where's she now? Sadler made headlines in 2017 when she left E! News after learning that that her co-host Jason Kennedy was earning vastly more than her, joining the ranks of women not content to settle for society's status quo. This Catt will get what she deserves: Equal treatment.